The Tempest
by coldqueen
Summary: FINISHED! With a special surprise ending! When Huntress returns to the League, things get interesting when a love triangle erupts between her, Captain Atom, and Question. Who will win this sordid tale?
1. Introduction

Title: The Tempest

Genre: Cartoon

Series: Justice League Unlimited

Characters: Huntress/Helena Bertinelli, The Question/Vic Sage

Spoilers: Up to _Question Authority_, after that AU

Rating: T

Summary: Two months after Huntress helps the Question get free of his captivity in _Question Authority_, she hasn't heard from him. Imagine her surprise when she does hear from the League...asking her to come back! Romantic triangle ensues, as well as various hijinks.

* * *

Chapter One: Introduction

* * *

When he wore his mask, he was Question. A cataloguer of information of great and no importance, he was a ghost, someone who existed nowhere but existed nonetheless. His home was the Justice League space station, the Watchtower. Though he was much a recluse there, he was accepted and welcomed. After all, his talents were of great need to them.

When he didn't wear the mask, he was Charles Victor Szasz, better known as Victor Sage. She called him Vic. When they were snuggled close in bed, or when she was angry with him; it was always Vic.

She didn't know his past, of course. She had no idea that he'd grown up in a Catholic orphanage, or that he'd been heavily into drugs as a collegian. He would never tell her, however. She was his angel, and angels didn't look kindly onto sinners. Sinners don't get second chances.

He let her go so that she could have a better life. She could live a life without fear, or violence, or even him. He hoped that she would move on, and forget him...even if he didn't forget her.

* * *

The night called to her when she was the Huntress. It was like a hunger in her, to feel the air rushing around her as she chased down the evil of society. It was a calling, and he alone had understood that. She may not be moral, nor may she be good, but she'd had him. Vic had kept her from going too far. He always had. Sometimes, though, his stare would make her feel guilty, for being who she was. When that happened, she got angry. The Huntress angry was never a good thing. 

The children loved Helena Bertinelli. They'd never believe that she'd regularly aimed a crossbow at a murderers' throats. To them, she was a gentle and kind. A mother figure. Vic never saw that in Helena. She made sure of it. She put on her show, of being tough and hard; she kept him at a distance that way. She made her home in Gotham, and he'd never seen that either. They'd gone on 'dates' for a month, then it'd tapered away. To be expected. They had nothing in common, now that she'd been kicked out of the Justice League.

None of it mattered. She wasn't Huntress. She'd given that identity up, along with anything hero-related. She had no place in his world, the world of superheroes, conspiracies, and danger. She was a kindergarten teacher. Her mind was on what to do for crafts next week, not on who had robbed Gotham City Bank.

Or so she told herself...

* * *

The day was bright and clear, with temperature already hitting the eighties. Helena raced around the corner, already afraid of being late. She'd gotten up at 5 a.m. but no matter how much time she allowed herself she never managed to get out of the house before 7:30. 

"Damn school," she swore under her breath as she tried to hail a cab while maintaining the balance of the large box in her arms. It wasn't easy, but Helena managed to do it. Why had she volunteered to bring the craft supplies for the week? What the hell did fifteen 5-year-olds need with seven boxes of popsicle sticks? Not to mention the seven pounds of paste. It wasn't really the weight throwing her off, it was the distribution. Why had someone put the glue on one side and the-...

"Ooomph!" Helena grunted as she went flying. Whoever had slammed into her had hit her hard, because she went sailing into a parked cab. Unluckily, the box went flying the other way. As the sounds of thousands of popsicle sticks hitting the ground reached her ringing ears, Helena moaned in horror. Of course, she could have been moaning in pain from the feel of a rearview mirror jabbing into her hip...no, it was the popsicles.

"Oh, my gawd! Sugah, you alright?" A man's deep Southern voice called out as Helena finally got up the nerve to open her eyes. She ignored the voice and cursed aloud as she took in the sight of all the trouble she'd just experienced.

As she kneeled and started to push the sticks back into the box, the man behind her laughed. "Quite a mouth you got on you."

Helena shot a death glare over her shoulder and froze. He was gorgeous. All tall and boy-next-door sexy. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and from the look of the suit, a tight body. Apparently, he was liking the view as well, or at least his eyes were from the way they crawled from her heels to her short skirt, now pulled tight over her rear as she kneeled, and up to her lips.

"Don't get me wrong," he continued, "it's a nice mouth."

Helena jerked her attention from his mouth and concentrated on her problem. "What the hell happened?"

"A gentleman bumped into you and you fell," the Blond Hunk offered helpfully, now kneeling to assist her.

"Why'd he bump...oh, no!" Helena looked around startled. "My purse! Do you see my purse?"

They searched through the sticks and looked around but it was gone. Helena felt like screaming. She was going to be late. She'd lost her cell phone and her keys and her money and everything that she held in her purse, so there was no way for her to call the school. And she had a run in her hose. Today was great. She was not going to cry. Crying was for girls.

"Are you alright?" Mr. Gorgeous asked.

Helena studied the tall man next to her, the popsicle sticks on the ground, and the run in her hose. "No. I am not."

At that moment, the cops showed up. Now understand, Helena has nothing against cops, per se; the two just don't get along. She didn't like that the cops of Gotham left it up to the night crusaders, otherwise known to her as the "Bat Crew" to take care of crime, while they got fat on donuts. Now was no exception.

"What do you want?" Helena demanded as the two officers got out of the car, both hesitating at the vehemence in that one statement.

"We had a report of a mugging," one explained, taking in the situation, Helena's anger, the Adonis's slightly bemused face, and the sticks. "Maybe we should take this downtown."

Helena groaned. "I've got work, and no money, and no ride..." She'd have continued but then the innocent bystander, who was hot and hunky and making her drool, offered an alternative.

"We can take my car. I'll even stay with you. Seeing as I witnessed everything, they'll probably want my statement. Might as well save you the cab fare," he explained with a congenial smile. The cops agreed and Helena was placed in the back of the stranger's car and hustled off to the nearest precinct.

* * *

"You didn't have to stay, I didn't need your support," Helena burst out at the Adonis as they left the precinct an hour and a half later. The blond had stayed with her while she gave her statement, been questioned by several people, and waited for the announcement that she could leave. 

"Yeah, well, a Southern gentleman doesn't leave a lady in distress," he explained.

"I'm not a lady."

His eyes swept her form, from toes to head. "That's debatable."

"Who are you?" She asked, stopping on the corner and turning to him.

He smiled. "My name's Nathaniel Christopher Adam, but you can call me Nate," he said quickly while bending over and kissing her hand where he'd grasped it.

"Well, Nate, I'm late for work," Helena replied, pulling her hand away and throwing it up to call a cab. Nate grasped it and pulled her back to face him.

"They said you should go to the hospital. Make sure nothing's broken."

Helena glowered. "I don't like hospitals."

Nate smiled. "I'll go with you, darlin'. We can unlike them together."

"Why are you stalking me?" Helena asked in an acid tone.

"Must be all the sweet-talkin'. I figure afterwards, we'll grab some lunch. Have a date," Nate said laughingly as he called a cab and pushed her inside before she could protest.

"Sweet talking? Oh, sweetie! I'll show you sweet talking," Helena threatened.

"And here I thought you didn't like me..."

* * *

Question was at his terminal, running several different searches when a window popped up on his screen. It was an alert, designed to pop up when one of the Justice League's members or former members' real names/other aliases popped up anywhere in the criminal/law computer system. It had popped up several times today already, given the Justice League's profession and tendency to interfere in crime, but this time something was different. 

It was about Huntress. Apparently, she'd been in some sort of mugging. Question felt a tingle of worry. Though the report said that Ms. Bertinelli had received an injury, it didn't say if she was hurt a lot or a little. Had she been stabbed? Or shot? It was Gotham and she was the daughter of a much maligned late mob boss...maybe an old foe decided to make the daughter pay for the sins of the father.

Grabbing his trench coat, Question decided to go check up on her. They were friends, after all, even if they weren't "together" anymore. Besides...he wasn't sure he could stop himself.


	2. Identity

Chapter Two: Identity

* * *

They strolled along the park at dusk. Usually, Helena wouldn't be caught dead in a park, day or night, but Nate had convinced her to walk across with him. She hadn't done it for pleasure, however, she was just protecting him from the delinquents who frequently robbed people there. 

"Did you enjoy yourself today?"

Helena scoffed. "Getting mugged, spending hours at the police station, spending hours at the hospital, going back to the police station to get my things, and then having to deal with you all day? Yeah, it was fun."

Nate grinned. "No need for sarcasm."

Helena felt herself grin back. "Who are you? Didn't you have something to do today, soldier boy?"

Nate froze and glanced at her. "Soldier boy?"

"Am I wrong? You hold yourself like a soldier, very stiff. At the station, you were very easy with all the "sirs" and bureaucratic shit. It also didn't help that you're wearing military issue dress shoes."

Nate looked down and laughed. "So I am. No, you're right. First Sergeant, at your service." He mock saluted her and when he put his hand down, it 'just happened' to wind around her waist as they walked. "And you? What do you do?"

"You already know that...I'm a kindergarten teacher."

"And before that?"

Helena shifted uncomfortably. "What do you mean?"

"Your body is lithe but muscular. When you found out you'd been mugged, your stance became combative. I'm thinking you've had training in some sort of martial arts. Since when do kindergarten teachers need that?"

"Been in a public school lately?" Helena joked, though her voice was strained as his words struck a little too close to home. "Why are you checking out my body anyways?"

Nate grinned but recognized the diversion tactic. "It's a nice body."

Helena smiled back as they neared her block. "I work so hard on it."

Nate gave her a leer. "I can tell."

She drew her key from her purse and shrugged off his arm. At the bottom of the stairs, she turned to him, making it clear that she wasn't letting him up. No matter how grateful she was that he'd stayed with her all day, obviously not doing what he had planned, she wasn't the type of girl who jumped into bed with people she didn't know.

"Thank you for staying with me."

"It was my pleasure, Helena," Nate replied, bowing and kissing her hand jokingly. Helena laughed and waved him away.

"Now go do whatever it was you were supposed to be doing when you were staying with me," Helena said as she started up the stairs to her door.

"Helena!"

Helena called and studied Nate as he yelled her name in the middle of the street. "What?"

"Have dinner with me tomorrow?"

_This man is certifiable,_ was all Helena could think as she nodded. He was cute, so she could overlook the air of surreality that had clouded this entire day. She watched as Nate gave a small wave and walked away into the shadows. For some reason, he made her smile, something that was rare in and of itself these days.

Helena removed her pile of mail from the box and struggled to get her door to open. It had a habit of sticking and required a little more force than should have been necessary to open.

When the door opened suddenly from the inside, she forgot all her training. The only reaction she had was to drop her mail to the floor, and that was more from being startled than from trying to get combat-ready.

"Who was he?"

She shouldn't be surprised. Why shouldn't she be surprised? Was it because her life could never be simple? Was it because it was her luck that just when she was relaxing, something else had to pop up? It was something, and it wasn't good.

"What do you want, Vic?" Helena asked, kneeling down and retrieving her mail and slowly walking into the dark living room. The sun had set now, and Vic hadn't turned on the lamp when he'd let himself in. She set set down the pile of bills and magazines and turned the lamp on before moving further into the room.

Vic watched as Helena stretched, pulling the hair pins from her hair as she did so. That long, luscious mane of coal hair fell down about her waist. He'd always loved her hair, loved the way it caught the light and became almost blue with its highlights. Helena laughed as she realized what he was looking at and startled him out of his reverie.

"I was concerned. Your name came up on my computer."

Helena gazed at him deeply before continuing through the living room and into the hall. Vic followed. "So, what'd I do now?"

"Nothing, yet. It said you were mugged and hurt," Vic continued to follow her, all the way into the kitchen where she retrieved a water from the fridge and turned to glare at him.

"Keeping tabs, Vic? Oh, no, I'm sorry...Question." Helena gestured to his faceplate, knowing him well enough to know that he preferred to be addressed as Question when he was in disguise.

"The Justice League prefers to know just what members, non-members, and prospective members are doing that gets them into criminal reports."

Helena smiled. "And just which of those am I?"

"You'll be surprised to know that they're considering letting you back into the League."

Helena smiled bitterly. "Been campaigning for me, Q?"

"No. Batman has."

Helena jerked in surprise. "What?"

"I was as surprised as you. Apparently, since he wasn't in on the vote to evict you, he feels he should have had a say."

"Doesn't matter, Q."

Question stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"I might not want to go back."

"Even if they ask you back?"

Helena shrugged. "Who wants to work for hypocrites?"

"I thought helping people was your life?"

"No...the children are my life now."

"And that man?"

"What man?"

"The one who yelled your name?"

"What about him?"

"How does he play into this?" They kept their voices neutral, both refusing the give the other any emotion.

"He's fun...doesn't ignore me." Her tone was just a bit cutting as she murmured her response.

Question sighed. "I didn't ignore you. I was-..."

"Busy, I know." Helena smiled and brushed past Question on her way to the front door.

"If you were to join the Justice League..."

"Which they haven't even offered yet."

"...then we would be together more often."

"So you say..." Helena smiled as she held open the front door for her.

"You know who he is, don't you?" Question asked as he walked out, stopping at the last minute to ask her that question, referring to Nate.

"Nate? Of course, I'm not the complete imbecile the Justice League seems to think. He's Captain Atom, sent here to spy on me for the Justice League."

Question laughed. "Not spy, judge. It's the last step in seeing if you're ready to return."

Helena stepped close and ran her hand down Q's facemask. "I know. Further proof that I don't need you."

With that statement in the air, she pushed Q out the door and shut it in his face.


	3. Induction

Chapter Three: Induction

* * *

The date went well, for all the pretenses that were layered on it like a shroud of oppression that threatened to make Helena suffocate. Yes, slightly dramatic, but the edge of tension between herself and Nate had sharpened between yesterday and today until it seemed as if every small touch and comment was a blade aimed for a crucial point of the body. 

Helena sighed. She really needed to stop reading romance novels. As attracted as she was to Captain Atom in this illusional form of his, Nate wasn't real. Ever since that radiation accident, Nathaniel had become Captain Atom. This date was just a job for him. Much like the Question, the pleasantries of normal life were lost on the superhero. What was it about aloof men that drew Helena? Probably the same thing that drew normal women to unobtainable men, the challenge.

"Something wrong, darlin'?"

Helena forced a smile on her face. "What do you mean?"

"You're frowning," Nate replied as he toyed with her hand on the tablecloth. Helena drew it away and placed it on her lap. "Did I do something?"

"Let's get out of here. I'm not hungry," Helena said by way of explanation. This was their first date, and already she was unhappy with him. This didn't bode well for the relationship.

Nate paid the tab for their drinks and they left the posh restaurant. Helena would have preferred to walk, but it was raining so they caught a cab. The entire way to her apartment they were silent. Nate studied her, and she stared unseeing out the window. Despite their intense attraction to one another, Helena couldn't even contemplate spending time with him until she knew the truth. A glance at the cabbie in front told her that this was not the place however.

Nate studied Helena's tense face and knew something was wrong. After dropping Helena off yesterday, he hadn't left. He'd circled the block and used an alley stairway to gain access to the roof across the street. He'd seen her and the Question arguing through the front window and had watched as she'd slammed the door in Q's face. It hadn't surprised him to see the Question there; it was common knowledge that Q and Huntress had had a "thing" after she was evicted from the Justice League. Apparently, the "thing" lapsed quickly, but the jealousy Q was now exhibiting seemed to make more of the situation than was popularly believed. It didn't matter to much to Nate because it still had given him to opportunity to use his charm to observe and test Huntress under Justice League orders. Unbeknownst to Helena, those orders had ended yesterday, when he'd delivered her safely home and had taken up his observation perch.

This date was all his doing.

Within minutes, they were outside Helena's apartment. Wordlessly they entered, with Nate removing her soaked coat and setting it on a coat hanger near the door. She'd continued wordlessly into the living room, leaving him to remove his own coat and join her.

"What's wrong, Helena?"

She sat in the lounge chair, covered in shadows, not realizing that she was mirroring Question's position from yesterday. "Isn't it better that you call me Huntress?" Nate froze in the act of sitting down for only a second, but it was enough to confirm Helena's suspicions. "And I guess I'll call you Captain?"

Nate sat back and watched as Helena leaned forward, allowing the light to expose the anger on her face. He sighed softly and pressed several buttons on the watch on his wrist. The image projected by the small device, that of a normal pink-skinned human, dissipated and left in its place his true form.

Captain Atom's true form was baby blue gas contained by a special U.S. Army designed suit, and all Helena could think about what how it might feel under her fingers.

He waited until she'd looked her fill to speak again. "Are you upset that I hid it from you?"

Helena laughed and sat back into the shadows again. "Upset? Yes. But not for that. I'm upset that the Justice League thinks it's alright to use people the way they do. I wasn't good enough before, but hey! Let's test her again and see if she's better now?" Helena replied mockingly.

"It's not like that."

"It's exactly like that. And you're helping them to do it to me again. What was on the agenda tonight, Cap'? Was someone going to try to rape me? Were you going to watch and see if I killed him?"

Nate frowned. "The mugging yesterday-..."

"Was set up by the Justice League. Remind me to smack the Flash for the bruise he caused me. It also might be less telling if the culprit and my purse weren't gone _literally _a second after the incident."

Nate gritted his teeth. "They weren't sure you were safe."

"So they test me? Like a child? I teach children, Cap'...I don't need to be treated like one by hypocrites who govern over the world like tyrants."

"Is that how you really feel?"

Helena, once again, was not surprised by the sudden appearance of people in her house. She really needed new locks. "Why, yes, Batman, it is."

The dark knight took a step out of the darkness of her hallway and took in the situation, Helena pissed off and dangerous in a chair, and Captain Atom barely restraining his own anger on the couch. "Then I assume you're going to refuse the invitation to come back, even though I worked very hard to procure it for you."

"And why did you do that, Batty?" Helena asked with false sweetness in her tone, her eyes still locked angrily on Captain Atom.

"Because I agree with you. The Justice League needs someone willing to challenge them from within to their own misconceptions. I do not want that job."

"So you're assigning it to me?" Helena asked incredulously as she stood and turned to stare at the Dark Knight where he stood in the shadows behind her.

Batman quirked his eyebrow. "Yes."

"And why should I accept it?" Helena asked in response, her sauciness flaring up again. She always did love irking Batman.

"Despite appearances, you care for people, and enjoy protecting and helping them."

"What makes you think that, Mr. Black Bat?"

"Your actions speak louder than words, Huntress," Nate interjected.

"I'm not Huntress," Helena responded, glaring at Captain Atom, "And I haven't been for weeks."

"Would you give it up forever?" Batman asked, already melting into the shadows, knowing her answer. Would she give up the exhilaration of saving lives and being needed? Would she give up the rush of being high above the city and on a mission that most people would never know about? Would she give up her mask and crossbow? Two things that had defined her for the past five years?

"No. I wouldn't. But I don't need the Justice League to do it."

Captain Atom rose and towered over her where she sat leisurely in her chair. "You would ignore that the people need you?"

"Yeah, if the Justice League is doing the calling," Helena nodded before walking away.

Behind her, Nate's voice called out. "And if I asked you back?"

She froze in the doorway and turned to him. "Why would you do that?"

He smiled. "Because you're not as unstable and crazy as rumors say?"

She couldn't help it, she smiled. "Even if I do curse like a sailor?"

"Even if," Nate replied, stepping close and brushing a lock of hair off her face. "Tonight had nothing to do with the League, and everything to do with you and me. I wasn't even supposed to contact you after yesterday."

"Why did you?"

"You're hot...and I've seen you in a leather leotard."

"Oooohhh...Cap'n!" Helena grinned contemptuously. "It seems I'm not the only one who likes to disobey the powers that be."

"You're already a bad influence on me."

Helena liked the sound of that. "Really? Interesting. Still doesn't tell me why I should come back."

Nate looked serious. "Something is coming. No one knows what, but all the magically inclined people are agreeing on this. Dr. Fate has come out of retirement to help us figure it out, but whatever it is, its coming in under the radar. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"You need team players, not me."

Nate grinned and stepped even closer, so that now the lines of their bodies were touching. "I think you play pretty well with me, sugah."

"That's different."

"How? You wouldn't have to work with many people you dislike." _Black Canary comes to mind_, Helena thought as she considered the proposal Nate was making.

"And you?"

"And me?"

"What about you? How do you feel about me joining the League again?"

"Well...we've barely had a first date...but if you come back I'm almost guaranteed a second."

"All you care about is your libido, huh?"

Nate grinned and dipped his head to kiss Helena lightly. "Oh, yeah. I'm very selfish, babe."

Helena grinned. "I can see that. You know...Batman is probably still watching..."

Nate grinned and kissed Helena again. "How exciting..."

* * *

Question leaned on the wall outside the conference room and waited for the founders of the Justice League to come out. They were inside conferencing with Batman and several others, including Huntress. This meeting was supposed to be secret, but on an installation like this one, nothing was secret, especially not to him. 

Question knew that one of the things they were discussing was Huntress and her return to the League, but even he didn't know if she was. The Justice League was setting conditions for her return, and if he knew Huntress then she would have a few of her own.

She hadn't even glanced his way when she'd entered the room.

With a sense of unease, he waited outside for the official announcement. He wasn't the only one, though. Captain Atom was also standing outside. He'd showed up seconds after the doors had shut and set himself up opposite Question.

After twenty minutes, Captain Atom felt the need to speak, an impulse that Question had long ago mastered and subdued. Captain Atom's very act of speaking first put him in the disadvantage, something Question appreciated.

"So...nice day, isn't it?"

Question stared at the man through his face masked, his dislike flowing off him in waves. "Do you really think she's going to continue to date you?"

Captain Atom could see that pleasantries were abandoned on the floor, so he responded in kind. "She and I have decided to continue seeing each other, though that's none of your business."

"It's only my business."

"It's not my fault you let her slip away, Q. But where you lapsed, I'm picking up."

Question stopped slouching and stood at attention. "I let nothing lapse."

"She's talked to me about it, Q. Last night, all night, we spoke. You let your work dominate your life, and she lost interest. It's no one's fault. You can't change the way you are."

"Says the gaseous being, who quite literally, became his work." It was a low blow, and Question regretted saying it. It was a touché subject, that of Captain Atom's accident. While working for the government, an explosion at a crucial lab on a late night had resulted in government scientist First Sergeant Nathaniel Adam had been atomized, quite literally becoming a cloud of gas that could only be contained by a special suit. It had been extremely painful, and Captain Atom rarely spoke of it.

"Listen here, face-boy-..."

The doors opened and revealed to Helena a comical scene. Her new boyfriend, several inches taller than her old one, was face to face (so to speak) with her old one. They were glaring at each other and clearly in the middle of an argument.

"Cap'n? I think you said something about lunch?" Huntress asked, for she was Huntress again. The two men jumped apart, and Captain Atom was the first to react first.

"Yes...a celebration lunch...we got something to celebrate, darlin'?" Captain Atom asked, laying his accent on thick, knowing that women loved it.

"Yeah, we do. See you later, Q," Huntress said as she took Captain Atom's arm and they walked away. Question couldn't keep his eyes away from her swaying hips, and admitted to himself that she fit her outfit a little too well.

Flash stepped out next to him and followed the new couple as they walked away as well. He was rubbing his arm as if hurt. "She's vicious." Question turned in inquiry to Flash, so he explained. "She hit me."

Question smiled underneath his mask where Flash couldn't see it. "She hates it when she bruises. It shows her how human she is."

"I didn't mean to. I was just doing what I was supposed to."

"Yeah...you threw her into a car."

Flash sighed. "I'm beginning to think you're on her side."

"Always was."


	4. Interruption

Chapter Four: Interruption

* * *

Helena sighed in the dim light and readjusted herself in the seat. Only back in the Justice League a week and she was already bored. Helena wasn't a girl for sitting around and monitoring other people who are out on missions and having fun! She was an action girl! She wanted violence and chasing and adrenaline! Instead, the Justice League put her on babysitting duty...and not just any babysitting...graveyard shift babysitting. 

Speaking of babysitting, it was time for check-in. Helena reached over and tapped in a set of six numbers into the computer terminal. The small screens lit up and Green Arrow's face glared out.

"What?"

"How's it going, Ollie?"

"Shove it, what do you want?"

Helena's smile faded away. Some people just couldn't take a joke. Even if that joke had been perpetuated on her first day back with the help of Captain Atom. "What's your status?"

"No sign of Poison Ivy or Bane. I don't think they're hitting the store tonight."

"J'onn said to stay until four and if there's no sign of 'em to come on home."

"Fine," Ollie replied curtly before cutting the connection. Helena smirked. What the hell did Black Canary see in that tight ass? Speaking of tight asses...Helena put in another set of numbers.

The line clicked open without a sound, but only a sliver of light played over a face, if you would call it that. Obviously Q was still in deep cover inside Lex Corp. Superman hadn't been comfortable sending Q in, with Lex Luthor being a touchy subject with the big guy, but Q had had concrete evidence of wrongdoing and Superman had no choice but to allow him to investigate.

"How's it going?"

He didn't speak, only shrugged. Helena could read him though, and spoke softer. "Coming home soon?"

Again, a shrug. In the little light, Helena could see Q tense and hear the rising volume of talk. Slowly, she began to make out their words.

"The boss wants these crates moved out, pronto and under the radar if you get my drift?" A tough voice, slight Brooklyn accent.

"I'll call Vinnie; have him get a truck over here tonight...after hours, maybe eleven?" Different voice, softer, no accent.

Q wasn't paying attention to the voices nearby, though he did take in the conversation. He was watching Helena. Her hair was rumpled and fell in tousled waves around her shoulders. She hated doing late night monitor work and would usually pass it off on someone else for a favor. So soon after re-joining the league, she'd decided to wait a couple weeks before squelching on her work. Obviously, she'd been indulging in a nap right before starting the check-ins...there was a line running right through her cheek where her head had laid on her glove seam. She was concentrating on the conversation on his side of the feed and didn't notice that he wasn't paying attention to it.

As the voices started to fade away, with the two men leaving the room, Q shut off the tape recorder in his hand. He had all the evidence he needed. Now all that was left was getting it to the proper authorities. At the echoing of the outer door closing, he sighed and rose from the cubby hole where he'd been jammed in hiding for three hours. His back cracking echoed through the monitor.

"Long day, Vic?"

"Getting longer every minute. I'll be back topside in an hour."

"Why so long?"

Q shook the audio tape recorder in his hand so that Huntress could see. "Got a delivery."

"Oh, well...guess I'm stuck here all alone..."

Q smiled at her tone, though she couldn't see it through his mask. He'd been about to reply, to offer to join her, when a voice echoed down the connection from Huntress's side.

"Coffee break!" A loudly exaggerated Southern voice carried through from off-screen, and Q recognized it. It'd been the bane of the last week, never leaving Helena's side when Q was around, though Q saw that as more Captain Atom's insecurity than a genuine need for that much attention from her. It was probably from all the Wheaties that man ate at breakfast. Everybody knows that the cereal companies put hormones and drugs in to cause people to eat more with side effects including behavioral problems and diarrhea.

"See you topside, stranger," Huntress said smoothly before disconnecting. "Well if it isn't my favorite leaguer!"

Nate grinned, and it was slightly creepy in his powder blue face. "How's the graveyard shift?"

"Horrid. I hate seeing dawn."

"Technically, since we're in space, we won't be seeing it. We're already dayside, so..."

"I get it, babe!" Huntress was quick to interrupt, for her new beau tended to spout off at the mouth sometimes. Made a girl miss Q's long silences. Course, Q's silences were usually actually just him getting caught up in Microsoft's latest dastardly plot...crazy men are sexy.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Nate asked, drinking slowly from his hot coffee, the steam making a tendril of his white hair fall forward and briefly shadow his eyes.

"My kids and their parents are having a party. I thought maybe you'd want to go," Huntress mentioned casually, watching him from over her mug as she drank too.

Nate sobered for a minute, then smiled sneaky-like. "Like this?" He asked, gesturing to his blue-ness.

"What happened to that sweet little gadget Batman gave you? That makes you all pink?"

"I gave it back. I suppose I could borrow it."

"Apparently it makes you Southern-er too."

Nate looked sheepish. "They thought that a thicker accent would appeal to you."

"Did they?" Her smile was deceiving, more innocent-looking than her thoughts were.

Oh, they would pay. They wouldn't expect it, but they would.

"Did it?" Huntress loved it when Nate tried to be charming. It was so unlike his natural militaristic self that he came off like a little-boy-trying-to-impress.

Huntress rose and smoothed her hand down his chest. It felt good to look up at a man; Q was her height, maybe less. Still, being with someone your own height made certain, more intimate things interesting.

"So are you coming? Wanna be the date of a kindergarten teacher?"

"That always surprises me."

Huntress smiled. "That I teach kids?"

"Yeah. It's so unlike your Huntress persona."

"She and Helena are one and the same. Most people don't see my soft side."

"Show it to me?"

"Maybe...if you're bad..."

* * *

When Question finally made it back to that satellite in the sky to check in, Captain Atom was nowhere in sight, and Huntress was back to being bored. She'd put her feet up on the desk and was idly watching the monitors. As usual, his approach was silent enough that no one should have heard him. 

"Interesting work ethic," Q commented, taking in the candy debris and general mess she'd made in her eight hour shift.

"Yeah...workaholic, that's me," Huntress replied without turning around. Maybe she had heard him coming.

"I've got the written report for Superman, is he awake?"

"You're the know-it-all, you tell me..." Huntress said, turning her seat so that she was now facing him in all her long-legged, and pouty lipped beauty. She'd always known what buttons to push with him.

"Superman likes to wake at dawn, Mountain Time. He'd be awake and in the gym by now."

"Good boy, wanna a cookie?" Huntress asked, grinning as she cocked her head mockingly.

Q smiled, then in a move Huntress didn't expect, leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips (as much as a man with no face can kiss). "No, thanks, Helena. I've got things to do."

"Crazy man!" She called after him, a wide smile across her face.

"That's what they tell me..." Q called back.

The grins did not last long. The two were playing a game, a dangerous one, and unlike before, this time it wasn't a duet.

Someone was going to get hurt.


	5. In Danger Part 1

Chapter Five: In Danger (Part One)

* * *

Helena Bertinelli didn't believe in fate. She did, however, believe in karma. Staring at Black Canary's cold blue eyes as she prepared to slam her through a window, Huntress also knew that there was a hell, and she was in it. 

Huntress braced herself as she landed on the other side of the window in a shower of glass. Sure, it was an act for the unseen audience, but did that mean the bitch had to enjoy it so much?

Black Canary swung herself through the now broken window, and crunched the glass under her heels dramatically. "Give up yet?"

Huntress grinned and flipped her hair back as she looked up from her kneeling position. "Never!"

Instead of rushing forward aggressively, as Dinah expected since that was the move the old, "got-nothing-to-lose" Huntress would have done, Huntress rolled backwards and onto her feet, before running and losing herself in the shadows of the warehouse. A glance at the small watch on her wrist told her that the game only had to be kept up a few more minutes before back-up would arrive. The ache in her side reminded her that she and Dinah might not have that long.

Two days ago, and only two months after she'd joined the League again, Batman and Green Arrow had approached Huntress for a favor. There was some underground meta-human gaming circles popping up again, and the two of them along with the Justice League wanted it to be put down for good. The solution? Send several Leaguers, preferably lesser known ones undercover with different aliases to find out who financed it.

Last time, when Black Canary had searched out her mentor and shut the ring of battledomes down, it'd stopped but the actual financier had never been discovered. Now, he was at it again and it was even deadlier. Several meta-human corpses had been "mysteriously" turning up every couple of weeks. Together, Green Arrow and Batman would make a new meta-identity for Huntress, so that she could go under and help, and in the process be forgiven for all her sins of the past, which despite being reaccepted in the League was still lorded over her head at every opportunity.

They didn't actually say that last part, but it was implied. Huntress accepted, despite the obvious danger. Suffice to say, Captain Atom had not been happy with the decision. He'd requested that he himself go along, but Superman had decided that Captain Atom was a little too distinctive for work undercover. Question had asked to be allowed to go undercover too, and had recieved the same answer. Huntress had laughed it off; both of the men were overly concerned with protecting her when she really didn't need it.

Running past stacked boxes and cellophane wrapped machinery, Huntress wished that one of them was here. Not that she needed it; Huntress was a strong 21st Century woman who didn't need a man to help her...but damned if the thought of dying didn't make her want to be held.

No one was supposed to die. It was supposed to be an in-and-out mission. One week inside, a couple fights, and a few break-ins, and she and Black Canary were supposed to be gold. They would sneak out on the seventh night, information in hand, and meet Green Arrow and Batman. It hadn't turned out that way. One week stretched into two, and the harmless mission grew more dangerous, as slowly Huntress and Black Canary lost contact with the outside world.

Suddenly, it was all about the next fight, and less about getting out. Huntress, impersonating a Chicago girl with the various "usual" meta-abilities (i.e. strength, speed, jumping all multiplied by inhuman proportions) called Fiend. She and Canary, going under as Doll (don't ask, but Ollie apparently found that really funny), were pitted against each other the first night. Surprisingly, Fiend had won. The next night, it was Fiend versus Oaf, and he wasn't on their side. Helena had almost died, and would have, had the man not been called to heel.

Helena stopped suddenly and tried to merge into the shadows. She could barely be seen in the dark, she knew that much and once again she thanked her senses for making her choose a black cat suit as her uniform.

This night was steadily getting worse. First, the plan to meet with Batman and Green Arrow had been called off by Batman. Then, the leader of this little ring decided to have a live-action fight. What that mean is that instead of fighting in the ring, the two fighters were going to go at it in a "real" scene... this warehouse.

The only thing that made this more dangerous is because this time...it was to the death. It was Huntress or Black Canary.

Huntress hated to lose.

Slowly, Huntress opened her senses, all of them, not just sight. Slowly, the world came into focus around her. She could hear Canary's footsteps, two aisles over. She was deliberately taking her time, either drawing it out or giving Huntress a chance to try something, she didn't know. Huntress was going to use it though.

There was a large bank of windows at the top of the warehouse. If Huntress could somehow get up there she could travel from rooftop to rooftop and eventually get away. There was a time when she would have stayed, she'd have fought, and she'd have killed or been killed. Somewhere along the line, that changed. Now her only thoughts were to get herself and Black Canary out of this situation alive.

Suddenly, a crate above her started to creak, then fall towards her. Huntress jumped out of the way just in time. She landed in a sprawl a dozen feet away, with cuts on her face where splinters had sliced. Black Canary had seemingly pushed it of balance and tried to kill Huntress, but Huntress wasn't sure it was a ploy anymore.

Suddenly, Huntress saw how she was going to achieve her goal of getting to the roof. There was a fire ladder inside, as there usually was in these old warehouses. The ladder was supposed to be for those working on the top levels, but it also went to the roof. Huntress knew what she was going to do.

"Poor little birdy, sing as much as you want...but I'm flying out of this joint...it's not as fun as it used to be!" Huntress yelled, knowing that Canary would hear and maybe even understand what she was trying to say.

There was a rope on the ground, probably left there by the real factory workers, and Huntress grabbed it as she started to run. She'd need a lot of speed for this. The end of the rope was quickly tied into a knot, a big one. The entire thing was heavy, weighing her down, but she was still getting the speed she needed.

Helena aimed for the broken window near the second story, and the knot sailed through the air. In a feat of skill, it went through the broken window and with a tug caught on the sill. Now came the tricky part. She would have to be in complete sight for this one. Huntress used all her speed she'd gathered up and jumped into the air, using her momentum to push off the crates nearest her, she sailed into the air. For a few seconds, she was completely exposed, and could easily have been taken out. Even as she thought that she might actually make it and survive this night, a shot rang out. It missed her, but barely. That was all she really needed, though.

Huntress landed on the second story, in full sight on the railed balcony. Trusting her instincts she rolled close to the wall and began to crawl towards the only seperate room in the wharehouse, the office. Going into a handstand she quickly kicked the door opened and jumped in. Then, and only then, did she stop to breathe. It was silent in the warehouse, except for the small sounds of shoes on the floor. Huntress was tempted to look out the small window to see where Black Canary was. There wasn't time though, and Helena had to get out of here. She could only hope that Canary followed. There was a window facing the parking lot outside the building, and that was Huntress' exit. She wasn't going to go down like they'd expect. She'd go up.

Huntress opened the window quietly and was happy to see that she was only a floor down from the roof. Thanks to the large brickwork on the outside, she wouldn't even need to have an anchor.

Huntress stepped up onto the window sill, and reached up to get a hold on the bricks above her. Within seconds, she was on the outer wall, crawling up towards the roof. She'd almost reached it when she felt a tug her leg. Looking down, Huntress saw that Canary had followed her onto the side of the building and was pulling her leg to get her attention. Or was she?

Even now that Canary obviously had her attention, she wasn't giving an inch. She was still pulling. It suddenly dawned on Huntress. Canary wasn't trying to get her attention; she was trying to pull her down! Some days, Helena is a bit slow.

Huntress kicked off Canary's hand and started up the wall at a faster pace, she had only a few more feet to the top. She wouldn't make it.

Canary reached up and wrapped a surprisingly strong hand around Helena's ankle. Normally, Helena would have kicked it off, and risked kicking Canary off the side of the building too. Black Canary was Justice League, though. She was an ally. Huntress wouldn't risk hurting her. In the end, it's what cost her grip on the wall. With one jerk, Huntress fell from the wall and careened four stories down towards the concrete parking lot.


	6. In Danger Part 2

Chapter Six: In Danger (Part Two)

* * *

The first thing Helena was aware of was a slow, melodious beep. It was seemed like it was coming from a large drum, meant to carry out over the plains of Africa, signaling a war. In reality, it was her heartbeat on the monitor. As that fact penetrated, Helena wafted back into a sleep and unconsciousness combination. In dreams, she relived the traumatic last memory she remembered.

Helena remembered that the night before she'd gone undercover, Nathaniel had taken her out to dinner. He'd borrowed the image projector from Batman, so that he was once again the man she'd first been attracted to. They hadn't been recognized, and had a nice, normal date. She'd been bored. She'd remembered that any and all dates she and Q had gone on had been either a) wild, b) crazy, or c) extremely entertaining. However, even that had been too much after a bit. Helena could never seem to find the balance to have a good relationship.

The dream got hazy, and when it refocused, it was after the date. She and Nate had made it back to that satellite home in the sky, and he was walking her back to her quarters, which were still across from Q's, as if even Martian Manhunter had a sense of humor about the situation. Nate had kissed her on her cheek, and walked away. He wasn't even around the corner when Q's door opened up. He'd said nothing. She couldn't even tell if he was looking at her, but she knew. She felt it. He'd sighed and stepped back, closing the doors, and leaving her with an oddly guilty feeling in her stomach. Helena didn't do guilt. The next day, she was undercover.

Once again, the dream hazed and refocused. She was on the side of the building now. The warehouse. The last thing she remembered. Then, she was falling. Someone was screaming. This time, it wasn't her.

Helena jerked awake, unwittingly pulling her IV and causing another jerk, this time in pain. At the small moan of sound she'd let slip, someone rushed to her side. That sound was echoed on the other side of her bed by someone else.

"She's waking up," a faintly Southern sounding voice said that Helena recognized as Nate's.

"Go get the doctor."

"Why should I? I'm her boyfriend, you go!" Helena didn't have her eyes open, but she didn't need to. She already knew who was mirroring Nate's stance on the other side of her bed. It was the Question.

"You're her boyfriend now, but I was her boyfriend before."

"Yeah, and she dumped you."

"There was no dumping. We lost touch."

"Oh, so is that what you're calling blowing her off for a month? If that's the way you treat her, no wonder she likes me more. I actually talk to her, you know."

Helena could feel the smile in Q's voice, even if she couldn't see, though even with her eyes open she wouldn't have been able to see it. "We didn't need to talk. We did other things."

Nate growled, yes, growled. He doubtless would have made a reply, but a scream echoed into the room again, and Helena opened her eyes. She started to speak, but all that came out was a croak. With a small drink of water, courtesy of Q's quick hands, she managed to utter one word. "Who?"

Nate and Q gave each other a look, and simultaneously knew who she meant. "That's Black Canary."

"What happened?" Helena asked, happy to have been able to make a full sentence...sorta...

Nate sighed, and squeezed Helena's non-IVed hand. "Me and Batman arrived on scene right after you fell. We immediately got you to a hospital, but Black Canary got away. After we made sure you were alright, we sent for back up and started looking for her. Unfortunately, Green Arrow had already gone after her. They fought."

Nate didn't say anything else for a minute, obviously finding whatever he had to say difficult. Helena turned to the one man who'd tell her anything. "Q?"

"She killed him. We caught her right after, and brought her here. Someone had put a microchip in her head, programmed her to kill Justice Leaguers. You were her first victim, and Green Arrow, her last. He died."

"Black Canary?" Helena croaked, her throat was throbbing now.

"We got the chip out, but now she must deal with what she's done." Nate made his feelings very clear on the subject. Nate had no or little sympathy for her, his military background making it all very objective to him. After all, being a superhero is just like being in a constant war. Casualties are expected.

"She's fine, Helena," Q added, drawing Helena's gaze back to him. Even through his mask, they connected, and for a few seconds, they were alone in that room. It was like it'd always been when they were together. Animal attraction. Almost psychic proportions of understanding. Then Helena remembered how he'd left her. No word, spoken or otherwise. She looked away.

"Where is she?"

"They have her in a secluded room down the hall. She's not taking the news that well," Nathaniel explained. Q removed his hand from Helena's and left the room. At first Helena assumed he was leaving, but then he returned with the nurse, one of the few normal humans allowed to work on the Watchtower.

"Hello, Ms. Huntress...how are you feeling?" The pretty nurse, a blonde, asked, moving Nate and Q off to the sidelines to watch as she took pulse readings, temperature, and all that good stuff. "You took a nasty fall."

"No shit," Helena replied before she could help herself, a sarcastic and sure sign that she was gonna be alright.

"Helena," Q said sternly, not telling her to be nice, but making the instruction clear anyways. Helena was so weak, she didn't even argue.

"The doctor will be in here in a few minutes. That means visiting time is over. Boys, move on out!" The nurse said, no longer the sweet young thing she'd been a few minutes ago. The name "Nurse Ratchet" came to mind.

Q was the first to come to her side. Ignoring the glares of Nathaniel and Nurse Ratchet, he leaned down, and brushed the cheek of his mask against her own real cheek. It was really a sneaky way of telling her something he obviously didn't want the others to hear.

"It's been taken care of." Helena turned her confused eyes to the faceless mask, and he explained. "We got those that were behind it all. The metabattle rings won't be going up again."

Helena nodded, and Q took his leave, not sparing a single glance for either of the other occupants of the room. Nathaniel didn't have eyes for anyone but Helena. He was back in his natural blue-ness, and Helena, staring at him, realized she liked him better that way. It suited him better than the dark blonde Southern boy look.

"You worried me," he said, as usual when he was Captain Atom only a whisper of his accent coming through.

"You're not my type. Why do love me so?" Helena said in a hoarse voice.

Nathaniel shrugged and walked to her left side, the one Q hadn't been on. "I don't know. I think it has to do with you being able to kick my ass."

"Baby, I would never do that. It's a very nice ass."

Nathaniel laughed and leaned over to brush a kiss across her forehead. "I'll be back after the doctor leaves."

Helena smiled for the first time. "Can't resist me?"

"Never."

Nathaniel left, and the nurse went with him. She had a few minutes alone. The two men in her life had worried about her. It was a nice feeling to know that someone cared. She'd been alone for so long. Then, she'd found Gotham and a new purpose for life. She hadn't been accepted then either. Helena had lived a hard life, as did most superheroes. It was part and parcel of what being a Hero was.

There were footsteps in the hall, and Huntress tuned her ears to the noise. Two men, tall, one wearing something metal that was clinking against something else. Doctor, stethoscope. Who was the other?

Helena got her answer. Nightwing. Batman's exiled protégé. Her former fiancé, kind of.


	7. Interplay

Chapter Seven: Interplay

* * *

Helena stared in surprise as Dick Grayson, formerly known as Robin, the boy wonder, Batman's protégé, and the masked crusader of Bludhaven, walked into her room with the doctor at his side. Her surprise must have shown on her face because the doctor, a congenial man named Stryker, explained matters in a rush.

"With your not having any family, we contacted your emergency contact, which was Mr. Nightwing."

Dick allowed a small grin to show through his mask. "Surprised me too. Here I thought you didn't care."

"I always cared. You were just too aloof."

"It happens."

"You get it from pops," Helena replied hoarsely, referring to Bruce Wayne, Batman, the man who trained Dick, and subsequently, stole his girlfriend, sending the Man Wonder straight into Huntress' arms.

Dick's face, what she could see of it, closed down. "I'm here to spring you," he said, changing the subject.

The doctor nodded and explained. "Due to your circumstances, your 'other' life, it'd be best if you and your injuries were taken to a regular hospital. I recruited your..." he hesitates, "...friend to help me. I've already fabricated reports from another hospital in Bludhaven, so that it won't be too suspicious for you to be transferred to Gotham General. Nightwing here will help with the cover story, supplying you with all the details on the flight down." With a self satisfied smile the doctor left, and an awkward silence permeated the room in his place.

"Sooo...shall we go?" Dick asked, gesturing to the wheelchair by the wall.

"I don't even know what's all wrong with me! Is it okay for me to move? I could have a head injury!"

Dick laughed, and it reminded Helena of that one glorious weekend they'd spent together. She'd comforted him from heartbreak, he'd made promises she knew he'd never fulfill, and on Monday she'd been in school, and he'd been in Bludhaven. Those promises, of a life, of a marriage, and children, had fallen by the wayside. Helena was used to the feeling.

"You're fine. You landed in the garbage. You have a broken arm, some cracked ribs, and a concussion. None of which are really serious, so can we get going?"

Helena shrugged (which hurt) and smiled evilly (which didn't). "Avoiding someone?"

"No."

"Yes, you are. Don't want Bats to see you? Still not speaking?"

"What do you care?"

"I don't. I just like to torture you."

Dick grinned and leaned down to stare intently in her face. "I thought you were seeing Question or someone like that. Won't they get jealous?"

Helena used a good hand to push him away. "I'm seeing Captain Atom, and I'm sure he doesn't care. We're secure like that."

"Still haven't fucked him, huh?"

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean, if he'd ever had you, he'd damn well be concerned."

Helena smiled. "I'll take that as compliment."

"What happened with Q?"

"Why are you so concerned?"

"I liked him. It was funny watching your conversations from the rooftops."

"You eavesdropped?"

"So does he have an unnatural obsession with shoelaces or what?"

"They freak him out."

"Still defending him? I thought he dumped you."

"We amicably split."

"Did you just use the word 'amicably'?"

"I'm injured and you're mocking me?"

"You knew what you were getting when you agreed to marry me."

"Thank god I got over that."

"More like I got over you."

"More like I kicked you out of my bed."

"It was a comfortable bed. Still can't get a decent night's sleep."

Helena sighed. "Shall I just call Bats and get your little confrontation over with?"

"No."

"Then shall we go, oh Knight in Black Matte Armor?"

"Sure, oh Bitch of the West."

With some struggle, and a couple embarrassing flashes of flesh, as well as brushes of contact, Nightwing got Helena into a wheelchair and on her way to the hangar. In the hallway that echoed with Helena and Dick's laughter, Question and Captain Atom stood side by side, for once.

"Who is he?"

"Huntress's ex-lover."

Nate turned to Q with a raised eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised you know that?"

"Because I'm the most knowledgeable person on this boat."

"We're not on a boat."

"Sometimes I don't know what she sees in you."

"Who?"

"Huntress. Must be your impressive porn collection."

Nate looked at Q scandalously. "You know about that?"

"I know about everything."

"Even about..."

"Yes, even about the dead hooker in Mexico."

Nate shook his head. "And Supes got away with it."

For the first time in this whole roller coaster two months, the two men shared a laugh at Superman's expense. Soon, any ambivalence was gone as they remembered why they were standing there in the first place.

"So..."

"So..." The said at the same time. Finally, Q spoke. "Still enemies?"

"Battle to the death."

"She's not a prize, you know."

"I do know."

"If she was, she'd be mine."

Nate laughed. "Because you're so good at games?"

"Actually, I am. Just a lot of physics and probabilities."

"I could beat you at pool."

"Want to try it?"

"Sure," Nate replied before he could help himself. "Prepare to be destroyed."

"You do know I could have you declared dead and all your credit and assets sold off before you could even move an inch from that spot?"

"I'll take my chances."

The two men warily eyed each other, and together turned to go to the game room. This was going to get interesting.


	8. Interaction

Chapter 8: Interaction

* * *

Nightwing would be transporting Helena back to Earth, via a recently "borrowed" Batmobile, and wasn't in the mood to answer questions. He was worried about seeing Batman, and Helena more than anyone, knew why. So, of course, she did what only she would do...she teased him.

"I wouldn't mind saying bye to everyone, seeing as I'm being forced to take a vacation."

"We don't have time."

"That's always your excuse. 'Huntress, we can't have sex on the roof, we don't have time!' or 'Helena! Put your clothes on! We don't have time!'" Helena screeched in a perfect Dick Grayson impression. Dick looked pained, but just kept on wheeling her down the hall, ignoring the snickers of some passing by Leaguers.

Even as Helena geared up to tease him again (she wasn't getting the reaction she hoped for, you see, he wasn't even blushing!), the Dark Knight himself stepped from the shadows and in front of their path. Helena was naturally optimistic (even if it bordered on sarcastic). "Heya, Bats! Nice to see you let me almost die. That's love for ya."

Batman looked at Helena without moving a muscle. No effect at all. "Is she medicated?"

Nightwing sighed, and patted Helena on the head. "Don't I wish?"

* * *

"Have you ever played eight-ball before, old man?" Nathaniel asked, chalking up his cube. Question straightened and though it wasn't seen, he smiled.

"Old man?"

"You seem old."

"I have no face."

"It's the way you carry yourself."

"I'm younger than you."

"That whole non-face thing doesn't help."

"Huntress obviously found it attractive."

"Huntress eats oreos with spaghetti. She doesn't have the best taste."

Q smiled again as he leaned down to aim his cue stick. "Obviously...she's dating you."

* * *

"I see Alfred let you take one of the spares."

"Don't get mad at him. I took it without him knowing."

"Strange, since I told him to tell you to take it before you arrived there."

"Not all of us have the money you do."

Batman shrugged. "My company is doing well this year."

"Bludhaven isn't. If you'll excuse us," Nightwing gestured for Batman to move, and Helena, silent throughout the entire exchange, knew that Bats wouldn't. He was here for a reason.

"I want to talk to you."

Nightwing shrugged. "I don't want to talk to you."

* * *

"How did you make that shot?" Nathaniel asked, as Question thoroughly cleaned the table. Nate didn't even get a chance to shoot.

"Simple trigonometry. Any genius could do it. Play again?"

"Sure, but this time I start."

* * *

"Boys, I'd love for you two to have it out, since you're both in my territory a lot, but can we move this elsewhere? You're attracting an audience," Helena explained, and the two men realized that they were now almost surrounded by "innocent" bystanders. Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter among them, though they seemed to be there more as backup for Batman than as helpless gawkers.

Batman took a step back. "We'll talk while we go down to the hangar."

Nightwing grinned, though it was more a gnash of the teeth than anything. "Nothing to talk about."

Helena sighed, and gently touched Nightwing's hand where it clenched the handle of her wheelchair. He was slowly pushing her through the crowd, which was quickly dispersing. In sotto voice, she asked, "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Knew this would go down one day."

"If I wasn't so weak, I'd kick his ass for you."

Nightwing laughed, a masculine laugh women get from time to time when they say something a man thinks is silly. "I'd pay to see it."

"Don't patronize me."

Dick leaned down and brushed a kiss on her forehead. "Not patronize, placate. I'm seeking to placate you."

* * *

The game was going better than the last one. For Captain Atom. This time, he cleared the table. No shots for Question.

"We appear to be on the same level of skills," Question commented from his seat in the corner. "Why don't we make this interesting?"

Nate stood up, and starting pulling the balls from the old-fashioned pockets of the table. He racked them together, and answered Question carefully. "What kind of interesting? Money?"

"No," Question said, walking around the table to aim. They were just playing straight pool this time. Simpler, but lengthier since there were more balls to get.

"Then what? For Huntress?"

Question paused, not having thought of that. "I'd doubt she'd appreciate that."

"So? This is just between you and me." Nate studied Q, knowing that his answer would show him exactly what kind of man he was dealing with.

Q knew what Nate was thinking, and contemplating playing to the man's fears for a few minutes. In the end, he was still the good, if slightly demented, hero of infamy, however. "How about League duties? You take my League duties for a month."

"If I do that, I'll have no spare time."

"Imagine that," Q replied sardonically as he aimed his cue and let it slide. The balls scattered, but didn't go in.

"I'll have no time for Helena."

Again, he repeated. "Imagine that."

"If I win, you take mine?"

"Yes."

Nate smiled, and took his place at the table. "Then I'll have plenty of time for her."

"Don't count on it."

* * *

The hangar was silent, except for the hushed murmurs of techs in the control room. The trio stood (or sat in Helena's case) for a few minutes. Finally, Helena spoke.

"Yo! Can we get this convo on the road? I'm tired, hurting, and hungry."

"You're also cranky," Nightwing supplied.

"Thank you, doctor. Next time, you can fall off a building."

"Will you push me, so I don't have to look?" Nightwing asked jokingly, though he was still tense.

"Anytime, babe, anytime."

Batman watched this silently. "Is it really necessary to have her here?"

Something in his tone irked Helena. "Since I was there for the aftermath, there's nothing I don't know already, Bats. Embarrassed?"

"I don't get embarrassed."

"Not even when you steal your adoptive son's girlfriend?" Helena asked bitingly. Nightwing grasped her shoulder in a tight grip.

"I can handle this."

"Then handle it," Helena replied.

"Bruce," Nightwing started, before Batman cut him off.

"Nothing happened. Nothing you think happened, at least."

"I know nothing happened. It doesn't matter. The feelings between Barbara and you were still there."

"You didn't have to run away. We should have dealt with it."

"I was hurt. I didn't want to deal with it. I wanted to forget it."

Helena knew intimately how far he'd run. Right to her. Batman's "nuisance", a vigilante who wouldn't be scared out of Gotham. It wasn't just stubbornness that made her stay in Gotham, though that had been it at first. Gotham City was home, and she wasn't leaving. When Nightwing had realized just how deep Batgirl's feelings for Batman had been, he'd been less than pleased. He'd run away to Huntress, a friend. She hadn't minded helping him forget for a bit.

"Dick, we never meant to hurt you..."

"I know that. I know neither of you would set out to do that. I was going to marry her, Bruce! I had the ring! I was going to ask her that week. Then, I hear that...and it's like...you know what? I don't want to talk about this! I have to take Helena home."

Nightwing wheeled Helena over to the plane they were taking and lifted her into his arms. Even though anger was keeping him so taut that it was like he was going to break with one touch, he was gentle with her. Wordlessly, Batman watched as Dick levied himself into the seat beside her and prepared to leave. With one announcement from the control room, he walked away. The hangar decompressed, and the ship dropped into space.

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Finally, Helena couldn't stand it anymore. So she asked the question that had been on her mind since his outburst. "The ring...the ring you gave me that weekend. It was her's?"

"Yeah," Nightwing replied monotone. No emotions attached to the word, just the word.

"You want it back?"

Nightwing smiled grimly and reached over to pat her uninjured hand. "No. You keep it. You deserve it more."

"Because I don't hurt you?" Helena asked, lightly, but still seriously.

"Because if you did hurt me, you'd come out and do it. You don't hide things, Helena. It's not in you."

Helena sighed and looked out the window. "If only that were true. Secrets are something I'm very good at."

* * *

The game was tied. Both players had three balls on the table, and the eight ball. A small crowd had gathered around them to watch. Entertainment was sparse up in space. Though it was mostly quiet, every once and a while, Q caught mention of some big showdown between Batman and Nightwing. Whatever it'd been about, doubtless Huntress had only made the situation worse. Huntress didn't like Batman, and Q knew it had something to do with Nightwing, but it was the one thing he'd never been able to figure out, much to his chagrin.

Nathaniel rounded the table, taking in his options. He had his balls all over the table, and one of them was cornering the eight ball. If he tried to get it in, there was a fifty/fifty chance he'd send the eight ball in before his own ball, and then he'd lose automatically. On the other hand, one of Q's striped balls also cornered it, so he might send it in if he tried for it too.

Nathaniel watched as Question watched him (or at least he thought he was...damn faceless man). "This is it, Q."

"I'm aware," Q replied with a twist of amusement.

"Wanna take back that bet now?"

"Just shoot the cue and stop yapping."

Nate smiled, and with a shrug that had the assembled superheroes tittering, bent over to shoot. Nate had decided what he was going to do, and with a twinkle in his eye, he aimed for the balls nowhere near the eight ball. He missed on his second shot, which left him with two balls on the table, and an eight ball. Q chuckled under his breath. Without even thinking on it, he aimed for the striped ball right next to the eight ball. With clear-cut precision, the white ball hit the small crevice between the striped one and the eight ball, sending the striped one into a pocket and the eight ball into the middle of the table.

The crowd cheered loudly as Q then cleared the table and won the game. Nate lightly laid his cue on the table and watched as the superheroes around him exchanged money and started to trickle away. Q wordlessly began to put the pool equipment away. When they were suitably left alone, he spoke.

"That last move is the reason you and Huntress will never work."

Nate immediately got defensive. "And what does that mean?"

Q shrugged, and started moving the pool balls to a separate container in the cabinet. "You're safe. You do safe things, like a good boy scout does. Huntress hates safe," Q turned to look at Nate, "and in the end, she'll leave you because of it."

"And I guess you're dangerous enough to keep her intrigued?"

"I don't have to be. I'm not safe. I'm insane, you know. Not much more dangerous that."

"This doesn't make it true. And I'm not rolling over just because you say to."

Q shrugged again. "It wouldn't be fun if you did."

Nate shrugged and started out the door, only to pause. "This whole situation would be easier if I didn't like you." With that, Nate left and the room was completely empty.

Q had to laugh and whispered into the air. "Well, I don't like you, so it's easy as pie."


	9. Inaction

Chapter Nine: Inaction

* * *

"He cheats at pool."

Helena smiled and accepted the cup of chicken noodle soup that Nate placed in front of her. He'd surprised her by showing up the day she was released from the hospital and making her dinner. Well, making her dinner if you considered opening a can of Campbell's making dinner. However, Nate did it with such sincerity, that Helena didn't protest.

"Who?" Helena asked as she reached for her spoon, which unwittingly caused her to pull at her ribs, which hurt. Nate was at her side instantly to get the spoon for her. She accepted it with a small smile and asked again, "Who?"

"Question."

She froze. "You played pool with Q?" Nate grinned in a "kid with his hand in the cookie jar" look, and nodded. "That was stupid."

"Why?"

"Cause he cheats," Helena explained around a spoonful of soup.

"Ha! I knew it!"

Helena smiled and decided that Nate wasn't such a good cook. The soup was still cold. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you before the month of hell."

"Month of hell?"

Nate blushed, and shuffled to his feet. He started toward the living room, then remembered that Helena was still sore and couldn't move very well. Like the gentleman he was, he helped her down and onto the couch. Then he dropped down beside her. "Q and me wagered the pool games, and I get all his Watchtower duties for the month."

"Sneaky of him," Helena laughed as she set her head on Nate's shoulder, not even cringing when he put his arm around her and unintentionally brushed her broken arm.

"So...have you thought about my offer?"

"You mean your request," Helena corrected as she settled into the nook in his shoulder. She thought briefly of napping right there, but the nice bright blue of her man's..._skin_ was distracting. Not that she minded.

"Yeah. So...you up for it?"

"I never was the meet-the-parents kinda girl."

"Ahhh, but why don't you pretend, for me?"

"A weekend at the Cape? Do I look like a "weekend at the Cape" kinda girl?" Helena said exasperated. Nate kissed her on the crown of her head, and held her tighter.

"No."

"This actually brings up a good point...what's a nice WASP like you doing dating a dago like me?"

Nate laughed. "I can't believe you said that."

"I mean it! I know your history, your family, your type! I'm not it."

Nate felt a small stirring of anger. "Helena, you know that's not true."

"Nathaniel, babe...look at me. Then look at your last girlfriend that your parents approved of. You've told me enough about them for me to know I'm not gonna make them happy."

Nate thought for only a second. "I don't care. This is a courtesy to them, not a requirement."

"Then why the sudden push for me to meet your parents?"

_Because I'm afraid Question is going to steal you from me..._"Because I care for you and you almost died. I want my family to meet the woman I..."

"The woman you what?" Helena asked, highly suspicious of the answer which she had an idea to the answer.

Nate blushed, and because he was blue, it was more purple. "I care about."

"What's another word for 'care'?"

"Love. I love you."

"You shouldn't love me."

"Why not?"

"We've only been dating for two months."

"So?"

"You're smothering me."

"Quit making excuses."

"It's not an excuse."

"You just don't want to meet my parents."

"I just want to rest. I fell off a building, you know."

"So?"

"If you love me, why are you so nonchalant about my pain?"

"You're fine."

"THE PAIN!" Helena moaned as she fake-twitched against his side. Nate laughed, and the tension was broken. Grabbing the remote, the two spent the rest of the night cuddled up and watching Jay Leno wax poetic over some hot new actress. Then, as was required, they had another argument...Leno vs. Letterman...

* * *

The phone was ringing, and it woke Helena from a deep sleep. A quick glance at the clock told her it was two am. She'd only sent Nate home at one, so she was a mite upset at being awoken so soon. After all, she had a class to teach in the morning. 

She fumbled for the phone in the dark, finally wrapping stiff fingers around the cold metal of the cell phone. "Hullo?"

"Helena? Were you sleeping?"

"Vic? Why am I not surprised?"

Question laughed into the phone, and stared around his austere apartment in Hub City. He didn't really believe in keeping a lot of personal items around. It made sudden decisions to move easier. However, Q chose that moment to pick up one of the few personal pictures he had. It was of him and Helena, sitting in a meta-bar having a drink. It'd been their first "date", and Helena had known the bartender, who'd cheekily taken a picture of them. Q had swiped it, not liking arbitrary photos of himself lying around, even if he was in his mask.

"You're smart, intuitive, and you like me. Of course you'd be hoping I'd call."

"I said, I wasn't surprised, not that I was hoping for you to call."

"I take it soldier-boy isn't there?" Question asked, setting the picture down and dropping into his desk chair. It wasn't an idle question for him, he really wanted to know.

"No. He left a little while ago."

"That's good."

"That's good?"

"You need your rest."

"You're jealous."

"Yes."

Helena laughed and it echoed in the shadows of the room. "You admit it."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I'm with Captain Atom, Vic. You need to get over it."

Q sighed. "I know. It won't last."

"And why not?" She asked, defensive. Her arm was also tingling a bit, so she flipped over onto her stomach and threw the cast onto the pillow to levitate it.

"He's too good for you."

_Silence._

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"I bet."

"He's not your type, Helena."

"And what is my type?"

"Dangerous men. Sexy men. Redheaded men."

"You? Babe, you were the first redhead I ever was with."

"And it worked for you."

"Not very long."

"That was one time..."

"I mean relationship-wise, not sex-wise."

_Silence. Crickets._

"I have a good reason for staying away."

"So what? Was I just supposed to wait for you, Vic?" Helena continued to call him Vic, knowing that it irritated him. Who knows who could be listening?

"You did wait."

"Well, not anymore."

"I was scared, Helena."

"Of what?" Helena asked in a near shriek. Late night/early morning really wasn't her happy time.

"Of you."

_Silence. Crickets. Truck going by._

"Why?"

"My mind is always busy, always thinking, always theorizing, always connecting. When I'm around you, it stops. It's quiet for just a few moments. I'm not looking around the next corner. I'm not noticing all the details that I live my life by. It's dangerous. It's devious."

"I'm devious?"

"No. You're not. You're honest, and refreshing, and much too good for me."

"The way Nate is too good for me?"

"No. You're out of my league. Just...too good."

"Why are you telling me this, Q?" Helena asked, feeling an inexplicable pain in her chest.

"I miss you."

"I know."

"I know you know."

"I know you know-...well, you get the picture."

"This isn't over, Helena."

Helena smiled and silently thumbed the "end call" button. It wasn't over. Helena feared that her feelings for Q would never end or fade. She wasn't waiting anymore. She wasn't going to play back burner to everyone else anymore. She had a new man, a new life, and she wasn't giving it all up because Q "might" want her back. She wasn't that desperate. She wasn't that foolish. She wasn't that over him.


	10. Indecent

Chapter Ten: Indecent

* * *

Helena and her broken arm couldn't take it anymore. All this non-moving shit was killing her. So, two weeks after her fall from a three story building, one week after that wonderful emotion-wrecking call from Q, she was back in costume. Well, sorta. She couldn't get the damn thing zipped. Instead of giving up and falling back into bed where her doctor told her to stay for a bit, she did what any sensible superhero would do. She called her ex-fiancé. It was an awkward conversation to say the least...it went something like this...

"Dick?"

"Helena?"

"I need your help."

"I don't do that anymore."

"Do what?"

"Scratch your libido itches."

"I'm not having a libido problem."

"That's sad. Everyone should have a healthy libido."

"I have a healthy libido."

"That's good. I still can't help you with it."

"Why not?"

"I'm with Barbara."

"You took her back?"

"Probationary. She's moving here to Bludhaven."

"That's nice...damnit DICK!"

"What?"

"You completely distracted me."

"From your libido? I just explained..."

"I didn't call about my fucking libido!"

"Okkkkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaay..."

"I need your help."

"Didn't we just have this conversation?"

"My zipper is stuck."

_Silence._

"On my costume."

_Silence. Crickets._

"I need you to come zip it for me."

_Silence. Crickets. Truck going by._

"Stop being a perv."

_Silence. Crickets. Truck going by. Woman's scream in the distance._

Finally, he answered. "You want me to drive twenty miles so that I can zip up your costume?" He sounded like he was either being strangled or was choking back laughter. For his sake, she hopes he was being strangled.

"Yes."

"Sure. I'll be there in half an hour." Click. Helena just loved having odd conversations with her exes. They were always so enlightening.

Thus, there she was. Half exposed and slightly cold and wishing Dickie Boy would hurry up. Just a few minutes later, and almost forty after she called, she heard a sound at her fire escape. Without further ado, Nightwing stepped through.

"Wow. You weren't kidding."

Helena almost growled. "I'm sorry; did I sound like I was?"

"Well...I thought it might be a ploy to get into my pants."

"Been there, done that."

"Sooo...how do you wanna do this?"

"Doggy-style?"

"Ummm...I mean the zipper?"

Helena laughed. "I just need to get it over the cast, and zipped. I'm cool past that."

Nightwing grinned. "This means I'm going to see your breasts."

"Don't you have a picture of them somewhere?"

"As a matter of fact..." he trailed off as he gingerly, gently eased the shoulder of her uniform over the cast on her lower arm and up over her shoulder. He turned her and zipped her up within seconds. Then, though she didn't ask, he attached her cape, and turned her around. With a sardonic smile, he pecked her on the forehead and continued, "Yes. It's very nice. I especially like the tattoo."

"It was a graduation present from some old friends of mine."

"They bought you _that_?"

"It was sweet."

"How are you doing?"

Helena sat down, slightly tired but never admitting it. "All those nice little enhancement juices are leaving my body. Almost makes me wish I was a real Meta."

"Juices?" Nightwing asked, levying himself a seat on Helena's dresser.

"Batman doped me up with some steroids and a couple drugs his company is developing so I'd pass as a meta-human. Gave me some speed, some strength. A couple general things like that."

"I thought it was all us humans against Metas? We don't need no stinkin' superpowers!" Nightwing said loudly, punching his fist in the air.

Helena shrugged. "They're not all bad."

"Aching to get back to the Justice League and be a real superhero again, huh?"

Helena hesitated. Truth was, she wasn't. This time away had given her time to think, and what she was thinking wasn't good. She couldn't really talk to anyone about it, because all her friends that knew of her secret identity were Justice League. Except for Nightwing. Could she trust him? Helena studied him, with his costume and airs of arrogance. Yeah, he was one of few she could trust. "Not really."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"So you don't want to go back?"

"Nope."

"You don't?"

Sometimes he was just dense. "No, I don't."

Nightwing wasn't really grinning anymore, realizing that she was serious. "You mean it?"

"Yeah. I guess...it's just not my scene. I don't like the rules, the duties, the requirements. It's ridiculous. I like being my own boss. Being rogue. I like Gotham City. This is my home. Truth be told, I'm always more concerned about here than anywhere else in the world. Even with Batman always telling me to leave, it's still my city too."

"Are you gonna...leave the Justice League?"

"It'd be a nice turnabout. Last time, they kicked me out. This time, I quit."

"Be serious."

"I am. I don't like it. I think the only reason I stayed so long this time is cause..."

"Of Captain Atom?"

"Yeah," Helena nodded. "Last time I left the Justice League, I lost the relationship I had going at the time. I don't really want to lose Captain Atom. He's a good man."

"What about the Question?"

Her gaze was sharp. "What about him?"

"I'm not in the Justice League, but even I've heard of the escapades up there. It's said that he obviously wants you back."

"I don't know about him. I thought..."

The room was silent for a minute. Then Nightwing spoke, and the words weren't needed. "I once thought too."

"So...you two are back together?"

"She says nothing happened between her and Bruce. She thought she had feelings for him. She didn't. She misses me. I miss her. I'm willing."

Helena nodded, though her real thoughts were miles away. She smiled though. "You once thought, huh? That's a shocker. You? A thought?" She put just enough disbelief into it to mock-insult him.

"Haha...so...we patrolling tonight?"

"We?"

"She's here, you know? Might be nice to be seen with another leather-clad, caped woman...might make her jealous. Jealous sex is always hot."

"Niiiiice..." Helena sighed. "No. Come unzip me."

"What? Too tired?"

"Yeah, and quit being a smart ass." Nightwing hopped down, and started to remove Helena's cape. "I did fall off a building, you know."

"You were always clumsy." The cape was gone, and she was unzipped. There was no real reason for him to stay. Before he left, she had to give him something.

"Dick?" He turned back from where he'd been about to climb onto the fire escape. Helena walked over and kissed him briefly on the cheek. At the same time, she pressed the engagement ring he'd once given her into his hand. "Just in case. I don't need it anymore."

Nightwing nodded, and climbed into the night. Helena, exhausted, emotionally, physically, mentally, went to bed. She didn't dream. She didn't fret. For that night, her worries abated, and she simply rested.


	11. Intercession

Chapter Eleven: Intercession

* * *

Gotham was quiet tonight, and Huntress appreciated the reprieve that it was. The city appeared to be taking it easy on the still recovering superhero. She'd only gotten the cast taken off yesterday. On her first day "officially" back in action, her boyfriend, Captain Atom, had decided to join her on patrol.

He sidestepped a bum in the alley, and followed Huntress as she stalked her prey, a drug-dealer who'd just murdered said bum. "This is...niiiiice."

"Sarcasm isn't appreciated," she replied saccharinely as she hid in the shadows of a corner, watching as the dealer ran through the streets ahead of her.

"But you're so good at it," Atom replied, glowing in all his blue might behind her. There was a reason she was going first here. Captain Atom didn't have a "hometown" like she that he protected, and he definitely didn't fit in in Gotham. Here in Gotham, you had to blend with the shadows, be one with the night. Atom looked like a bug zapper.

"My sarcasm is always appreciated. Yours isn't."

"Are we in a bad mood tonight?"

"Not really. This is me, Atom. Get used to it."

Captain Atom hesitated at the vehemence of her sentence, though he didn't get to ask her about it because at that second she swung into action. It was slightly awe-inspiring to watch her twist and curve in the air, a being of raw force that took out the drug dealer, a man twice her size, in seconds. The lingering trouble with her last statement took all the fun out of it.

As she cuffed the unconscious man to a light pole, he walked up behind her, and asked, "Are you going to call the police?"

"I should just let him sit here. Let a rival shoot him, or maybe let him get hypothermia," she answered with a sneer.

Atom stiffened. "That wouldn't be right."

"Why not? He's probably killed countless people with his gun," she pulled from his jacket, "or with his actions. This man sold drugs to kids, Atom! Kids! He's the scum of the Earth, and deserves to die. Instead, the police will lock him up for a couple years, and he'll get out and do it all again. _That_ isn't right."

Huntress walked off into another alley, reaching up and climbing onto a fire escape before Atom could even think to assist her. He would've, because he was a gentleman, and that was just another one of his faults in Helena's mind. She didn't want a man who'd coddle her, or patronize her. She was a warrior and she didn't need help!

As she reached the roof, Atom arrived just seconds after, and grabbed her arm before she could walk off. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Obstinate to the last.

"That statement down there. 'This is me! Get used to it'. The little tirade about how that criminal deserved to die."

"What's to question?"

"What's wrong?"

"You're wrong!" She'd blurted it out, and now she'd gone and ruined everything. Huntress rushed to explain as Atom released her arm and stood there stiffly. "I've been thinking. I've been thinking a lot. I can't do this anymore, Nate. We don't fit. Never have. It was laugh, a little fun, but this was never serious," Huntress gestured to him then to her, and smiled bitterly. "Good boys don't take bad girls home."

Atom, thinking she was just in a self-deprecating mood, sought to comfort her. "You're not a bad girl, Helena. You're good! You're Justice League!"

"Not anymore. I haven't been for a long time."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm quitting the Justice League."

Silence. Captain Atom looked at her incredulously. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I hate it there. All the rules, and regulations, and everything...I don't fit in there. I'm not team material! I'm a vigilante. I give criminals what they deserve, and most of the time, they deserve worse than the cops will give them. I want to give victims justice! Not some paper that says the perp has been caught! I'm a murderer. Before I went to the Justice League, I didn't see anything wrong with that. I'm not Justice League. I never was. I tried."

"For me? You tried for me! That means you care for me! I can forgive what you've done in the past. Don't give this up, Helena!"

Huntress stood strong. "I didn't ask for forgiveness and I never said I didn't care for you, Nate. I just...I do. Just not enough."

Atom got it, he wasn't dense. He could connect the dots as well as any spurned man. "Question."

"What about him?"

"He's got something to do with this. I know it. He put ideas in your head, made you think things..."

"Question has nothing to do with this. I don't give a shit about Question. This is about you and me! I've been trying to work up to this for a long time. I just didn't know it."

"Really? So that's why we've been going out every weekend? You're supposed to meet my parents, Helena! I love you!" He was hurting, so bad, and Helena wanted to soothe him. He was a good man. She wasn't a good woman, though. She would only bring him down in the end.

"I don't love you." Atom paced in front of her, and Huntress felt like she was standing there naked. She didn't want to do this to him, but she couldn't go on lying anymore. "I love the Question."

"I thought he didn't have anything to do with this?"

"He doesn't. I love him, but he didn't influence this is any way. I can't love you or even try while I'm still in love with him."

"So...what? You'll go back to him, fuck your brains out, and then when you're tired of him, you'll come back to me! I'm not going to wait!"

"I'm not asking you to, and that's not what I'm going to do. Question and me are over. But I went from him right to you; I didn't have a chance to recover. To heal. I need time, Nate."

He stopped pacing and stood by her now. He passed his hands over her hair, and she turned her cheek into his palm. "I love you."

"I care for you. Time, Nate. I need time."

"How long?"

"I don't know. I need to be alone. To think."

"You won't go to him."

Huntress ducked her head, and spoke the truth. "I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do."

Captain Atom nodded his head, and his smile was bitter. "Come to me first. If it's not going to be me, tell me to my face."

Huntress kissed his palm, and nodded. "I promise."

Captain Atom walked away, and Helena continued to nod_. I'm not good for you, Nathanial. I'm not good at all. I've broken your heart, but mine has always been broken. Me and Vic, we got some issues, and we need to work through them. I don't know if I'll love him when we're done, I don't know if I can love you. I tried to, I tried so hard. I'm not a good person. I'm good enough to keep that promise, though._


	12. Imitation

Chapter Twelve: Imitation

* * *

Helena was jolted from the engrossing homework of her kindergarten class by the sound of her doorbell. It was late on Tuesday evening and she most definitely was not expecting anyone. Standing and stretching the kinks out of her back, she moved quickly for the door. As she opened it, her mouth already open to greet whoever was on the other side, she recieved the shock of her life. "Dinah?"

Black Canary looked like hell, the kind of hell that was run over, thrown in the river, fished out, and ran over again. Helena had known that Dinah was taking recent events hard, but even this surprised her. She'd never seen the blonde so beaten down.

"Hello, Helena," Dinah said quietly, not at all her usual boisterous self. Her hair hung limply around her sallow face, and the way she shifted in place told Helena that her left leg was still damaged from the big fight.

"Come on in," Helena invited, stepping back to let the limping metahuman through. Dinah immediately walked to the one chair in the living room and sat. Helena almost heard her sigh of relief when she did so. "What can I help you with?"

"Nothing. I...I wanted to apologize," Dinah gritted out, though out of irritation or pain, Helena couldn't tell. For a second, though, it was the old adversarial bitch Helena had loved to fight with.

"What for?"

Dinah sighed. "I could have killed you." Unspoken were the words, _like I killed Ollie_.

"It wasn't your fault." _None of it_, Helena didn't say.

"I should have been more careful." _Should have been stronger_. Dinah responded.

"The kind of mind games they were playing with us, we'd never have seen it coming." _Not even the Justice League_.

"Still, it's the sort of situation we should have prepared for. The fact that I had been manipulated doesn't change what I did." _And nothing ever will_.

Helena was tired of the truth remaining unspoken, and perhaps unheard. For weeks, people had been tiptoeing around Black Canary and she was getting a little tired of watching the small blonde take it. "You didn't really kill him, Dinah."

She didn't look at Helena, in fact hadn't looked at her since she'd walked in. Her hands shook as she raised them a bit into the air, as if blood were even now dripping from her hands. "My hands did. My voice. Me."

"It wasn't you. You don't even remember it."

"But they told me! They showed me footage!" Black Canary yelled, her metahuman ability breaking through in her distress and cracking the wine glass that sat on the table. Helena watching the dark burgundy stain the white tableclothe and was uncomfortable with how much it resembled blood.

"And whoever did that is an ass. Mentally, and in your soul, it wasn't you. It was your body, but you weren't in it. I knew that when I looked into your eyes. And I'm betting Green Arrow knew. Hell, he liked you more than I did, he had to know!" Helena stressed, sitting on the coffee table in front of Dinah, wanting to reach for her hands where they were clenched in her lap but restraining the urge.

"He loved me," Dinah whispered, and Helena knew that for some reason Dinah was confiding in her. It was Helena's duty to do all she could. She may be violent, and slightly crazy, but let it never be said that Helena was uncaring.

"You could tell. You loved...You love him too."

"I never told him. I was afraid. I was so afraid of what could happen, that I kept it to myself, even after he said it. I just laughed and patted his cheek like he was a child."

"He knew. How could he not know? You two were always holding hands and kissing, and making the rest of the League sick!"

Dinah smiled, and it was like a crack in a foundation, unexpected and unstable. Then she was crying, and it was like that foundation had been a dam, and now there was no stopping it. Dinah threw herself into Helena's arms, sobbing, and Helena held her, and didn't know what else to do. How do you comfort someone who knows a pain that she herself would never know? Helena had two loves, and Dinah now had none. Green Arrow was gone, but both Captain Atom and Question were still here, hovering on the edges of her life, waiting to be called on.

Helena was just afraid to pick up the phone.

Slowly, Dinah came back to herself, realizing whose arms she was crying into, and where she was. She wiped her cheeks and stood stiffly. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."

"Not really. Ruined my slacks when I sat in the wine, but I can deal."

"I should go, I've done what I came here to do."

"You're in no condition to drive," Helena said as she stood, trying to peruse the stain of wine across her rear.

"I have no choice."

"Sure you do, stay here."

Dinah looked doubtful, even through her puffy eyes and red face.

"Hey, I'm a bitch, but I do have a couch."

"And a guest room," Dinah volunteered weakly.

"I don't like you enough to clean that damn room out."

Dinah laughed. It was the kind of laugh that draws the eye in the street, the kind that makes the air clearer, the kind that let Helena know that despite the pain, Dinah would be okay. "Okay," she said when she finally stopped laughing," that sounds great."

* * *

The next morning, bright and early and loaded with coffee, Helena stood in her kitchen and stared at the phone. Dinah was asleep in the guest room, because last night she'd convinced Helena to clean out all her clothes from the room, where'd they had been thrown at various times of the year when she decided she hated that piece of cloth. She'd actually found a jacket she'd been looking for two months for under the bed, so it hadn't entirely been a fruitless venture.

Helena wasn't sure what to do. When she was with Nathaniel, he made her a better person, made her think. When she was with Vic, she wasn't thinking, she was just in the moment. Both were beneficial, both were handsome, funny, and just plain lovable. Vic broke her heart, she broke Nate's. Where does a girl turn? The rock? Or the hard place?

A sound at the doorframe drew her attention from the phone in time to see Dinah enter with a large yawn. She looked more rested than she had last night.

"Want some coffee?"

"You don't have any soda?" Dinah asked, hesitating at the table.

Helena gestured to the fridge, then made a face when Dinah began to chug Coca Cola. "Eww, how can you have that so early?"

Dinah shrugged. "It's the same as coffee, just a different taste."

"If you say so."

Dinah smiled a bit, then fished out some ham from the fridge, munching on it as she made her way back to the table. "Why are you staring at the phone like that?"

"I'm trying to decide something."

"Deciding on Question or Atom?"

Helena viewed Dinah with suspicion. "What do you know about it?"

Dinah shrugged, and sadness briefly colored her big blue eyes. "Not many of the Leaguers are talking to me right now, but I've got great hearing. Gossip is that you've quit the league, and pushed them both to the side while you make your decision."

"That's about it," Helena nodded. "Why aren't the Leaguers talking to you?"

"I killed one of them."

"I thought we talked about that last night?"

"We did. Some of the fault is with me, but not all of it. It was still my hands," Dinah paused to sip some more soda before continuing, "So who are you going to choose?" She kept her voice light, trying to retain some sense of normal. For some reason, it was easier to pretend with Helena than it was with anyone else.

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"I just don't."

"Did you make a list?"

Helena looked at Dinah like she was daft. "A list?"

"You know? Like on _Friends_?"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"It's a good idea."

"So says the woman who watchs _Friends_."

Dinah hesitated, then put on her serious face. "Don't wait too long to make your decision. Love doesn't wait, Helena." Then, with a small smile, Dinah moved to take her leave. When Helena heard the front door shut, she turned back to the phone.

Dinah, for once, was right. It's time to stop waiting. Helena picked up the receiver and dialed a familiar number, then waited for him to answer.

"Nate? It's Helena...um...you wanna have dinner tomorrow?"


	13. Incomplete

Chapter 13: Incomplete

* * *

Helena stepped out of the cab and looked around. The street was deserted but it's the only way a street in Hub City at 3 a.m. could be. It was said this city would eventually become as dangerous as Gotham City, but Helena doubted it. It couldn't be that dangerous as long as Question was around to make sure the cops did their job. 

Helena was doing her duty, and for once it hadn't been an unpleasant one. She'd called Nathaniel, and invited him over. They'd had a pleasant enough time, both stalling until the inevitable after-dinner confession. Some people say confession is good for the soul. It's good for the soul, but bad for the heart.

* * *

_Last Night_

They sat on opposite ends of the couch and stared at one another. He was leaning on his knees, his hands clasped in compliance. No words were being spoken. None needed to be. The words were in the air and truly nothing more could be said.

Nathaniel smiled, and in the wash of his blue face it seemed startling white. "Are you sure this is what you want? You won't regret this later?"

Helena smiled, and it was small. "I'm sure. I won't regret this. I won't regret anything. You're wonderful. He's wonderful. You make me laugh. He makes me laugh. In my heart, you're both loved. But they're two different kinds of love."

Nate's smile faded but some of the emotion remained around his eyes. "I think I knew that. It just got to my head, you know? I was so jealous, so blind with it."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Nathaniel stood and stretched. "You're going to tell him? Tomorrow?"

"Yes. As soon as possible."

Nathaniel nodded, then knelt beside her. He leaned over, brushing her lips with his own. They were oddly cool, matching that ice blue of his eyes. "Call me. Afterwards. I want to know what he says."

Helena laid her hand on his cheek. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I won't take it the way you think. I'll listen as a friend. I want to be there for you, no matter what."

"I know. I appreciate it. I love it."

Nathaniel nodded again and stood. He left without another word, but Helena didn't need them. This wasn't goodbye, it was simply another day.

* * *

The elevator was broken, and had been for months. She took the stairs slowly, knowing that this likely would be the last time she'd climb them. If she ever came to this rat hole again, the elevator damn well had better be fixed. Seven stories up and she was finally at the right floor, though she had to walk around the large "U" of a hallway to reach his door. There was no bell, but the camera winked at her from the corner. Her knock echoed in the hallway. 

It opened immediately, confirming that Vic was always watching it and likely had alerts for when someone came to this floor and down this hall. He was only wearing slacks, and his red hair was mussed; he'd been asleep. His sleep drowsy eyes stared at her without emotion, not needing that damn mask to hide his thoughts.

She couldn't stand the silence of the hall. "Can I come in?"

"Always," Vic replied, standing aside to let her into his cluttered apartment. Newspapers littered the living room, and computer disks of all sorts of information covered an entire wall. The other walls were covered in books. You couldn't see the floor past the various papers, but Helena tried to not step on anything "important".

"I thought you said you'd hired a maid?"

"She quit."

"When?"

"First day."

"Gave her a lie detector test didn't you?"

"That wasn't what made the maid quit."

"What then?"

"The drug test."

"Silly woman."

"It was a man."

Helena quirked an eyebrow, and lowered herself onto Vic's couch. It was large, red, and plush. She'd fallen asleep on it a couple times when Vic had gotten obsessed in his work on a date night. It was comfortable, she thought as she fished a book out of the seams where it poked her in the back. With a shrug, she threw onto the nearest stack. "I came to talk to you."

"Here I thought you were just going to jump me and be done with it." That was Question for you. Delivering the most sarcastic lines with dry aplomb. God, he pissed her off.

"You wish."

Suddenly he was serious again. "I do."

She hated awkward silences. "I've chosen Nathaniel."

That surprised him. For all his theories and suspicions, Question was arrogant. He always thought he knew everything. He didn't know this was coming. Some petty part of Helena felt satisfaction.

"Captain Atom?"

Helena nodded. "I'm staying with him."

"Why?"

Helena stood, unable to say what needed to be said whilst he stood over her like an avenging angel. "You and I, we're attracted to each other. We have wild and fun times. But Nathaniel...he betters me. Makes me something I'm not. It's not a bad thing. He makes me someone I was supposed to be, but things kept holding me back."

"Things? Or people?" He was hurt. He couldn't hide that.

"Not you. Never you. I loved you. You hurt me and before I realized it I'd taken it to heart. I forgive you, but I can't ever forget."

"You're throwing us away?"

"I'm not throwing us away! I'm putting us in a box on a very high shelf in a back room," Helena explained with a smile. "The feelings are still there, but they'll fade."

"And if they don't?" He was angry now. His brown eyes shot daggers at her.

"They will," Helena replied, completely affirmed in that belief. It was all she really had to believe in. She'd worked her way back to the door, but her hand froze on the knob. "We're going to get married. Sometime this summer. I wanted to tell you."

She started to open the door to leave, but his voice rang out in the hall after her. "If you think this settles things. It doesn't. Things will never be over between us."

Helena shut the door and leaned against the wall for support. That was only the thing she feared most. So she walked away. From Question. From the League. She walked away. She looked back, though.

She'd just never admit it.

_**FIN

* * *

**_

Sequel?

Prequel.

Excerpt?

Just a peek.

_Helena Bertinelli was a vigilante and she loved her work. She went by the codename Huntress and she loved doing just that, hunting down scum. Her home was Gotham City, and though the batty Bat Squad didn't like it, they couldn't drive her out. She'd underestimated the ole Bat Boy though. This was a new low even for him._

_"You want me to WHAT!"_

_Batman shook his head as if to remove any memories of that screech. "I'm extending an invitation from the Justice League of membership to you."_

_"What's the catch?"_

_He quirked an eyebrow (which she could only tell because the black eye make-up around his eye moved)(what kind of man wears make-up?). "There is no catch. I believe it will be an opportunity for you to learn."_

_"To learn what?"_

_"Control."_

_  
"Why do I need control?" Huntress asked, slightly offended. She considered her skills masterful._

_Batman gestured to the three thugs surrounding them, one with an arrow in the arm and knocked unconscious, another with a broken arm, a cracked skull, and a pitiful whine, and the third...dead...he never should have tried to stab her. How was she supposed to know there was a jagged pole sticking out of that wall? She didn't have eyes in the back of her head._

_"Ooooooooh...that? I guess I got a little carried away."_

_"Just a little."

* * *

_

Review, please.


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